Our annual round-up of Christmas services taking place at churches across the St Albans district.

Joy to the world is the message of Christmas, being celebrated in churches across St Albans and Harpenden and around the world. After a year of political upheavals, Christmas is here again with the angels telling us not to be afraid and proclaiming peace on Earth. In churches of all types and sizes, people will gather as they have for generations to welcome the birth of Jesus Christ – God come down to Earth, born in a stable, to die on a cross and to rise from death for us all. You are warmly invited to join the celebration at a church near you. Rev Peter Crumpler, St Leonard’s Church, Sandridge

December 18 - carol services unless stated

St Saviour’s Church, Sandpit Lane - 6pm; St Mary’s Church, Marshalswick - 6.30pm; Forest Town Church, Lyon Way - 10am, carols in the café; Ashley Church, Ashley Road - 4.30pm; Park Street Baptist Church, Penn Road - 7pm; Hatfield Road Methodist Church - 6pm; Trinity United Reformed Church, Beaconsfield Road - 4pm, informal after noon of readings and carols; St Mark’s Colney Heath - 7.30pm; All Saints’ Church, Harpenden - 6.30pm; St Mary’s Church, Kinsbourne Green - 6pm; St Peter’s Church, St Albans - 9.30am, all-age communion service with Nativity play; Ridgeway Church, Sandringham School - 4pm; Dagnall Street Baptist Church - 6.30pm; St Mary’s Church, Redbourn - 6.30pm; Marlborough Road Methodist Church - 4.30pm; St Helen’s Church, Wheathampstead, 7pm; Christ Church, Radlett - 6.30pm; St Luke’s Church, Cell Barnes Lane - 6.30pm; St Paul’s Church, Blandford Road - 6.30pm; Chiswell Green URC - 6.30pm; Thirlmere Church, Cell Barnes Lane - 4.30pm; Marshalswick Baptist Free Church, Sherwood Avenue - 6pm; St Michael’s Church, St Michael’s Street - 6.30pm; St Stephen’s Church, Watling Street - 6.30pm; St Leonard’s Church, Sandridge - 6pm.

Christmas Eve

St Saviour’s Church - 3pm crib service; 5pm Christingle, 11.30pm Midnight Mass; St Albans Cathedral - 2.30pm crib service, 5.30pm choral evensong, 11.30pm Midnight Mass; SS Alban and Stephen, Beaconsfield Road - 5pm, first mass of Christmas; St Mary’s Church, Marshalswick - 5pm crib service, 11pm Midnight Mass; St Albans Seventh Day Adventist Church, St Peter’s Street - 11.15am carol service; St Mark’s Colney Heath - 4pm carol service; All Saints’ Church, Harpenden - 4.30pm carol service, 11.30pm Midnight Holy Communion; St Mary’s Kinsbourne Green - 2.30pm and 4.30pm crib service, 11.30pm Midnight Mass; St Peter’s Church St Albans - 3pm crib service, 6.30pm carol service, 11.30pm Midnight Communion; Dagnall Street Baptist Church, 11.30pm Christmas Eve Communion; St Mary’s Redbourn - 11.30am first Eucharist of Christmas, 3.30 and 4.30pm crib service; St Leonard’s Flamstead - 2pm crib service, 6pm carol service, 10pm Midnight Mass; St John the Baptist Markyate - 4pm crib service, 11.30pm Midnight Mass; Marlborough Road Methodist Church - 7pm Christmas Eve Communion; St John’s Radlett - 4.30pm crib service; St Helen’s, Wheathampstead - 3pm and 4.15pm crib service, 11pm Midnight Communion; SS Alban and Stephen - 5pm first mass of Christmas, 7pm family mass, 11.30pm carols and Midnight Mass; Christ Church Radlett - 4pm crib service, 6.30pm candlelight service, 11.30pm Midnight Communion; St Luke’s Church, Cell Barnes Lane - 11pm Midnight Communion; St Paul’s Church, Blandford Road, 3.30pm, 5pm and 5.30pm crib service, 11.30pm Midnight Communion; Marshalswick Baptist Free Church - 11.30pm Midnight Communion; St Michael’s Church - 4pm crib service, 11.30pm Midnight Communion; St Julian’s Church - 4pm crib service; St Stephen’s Church, Watling Street - 4pm crib service, 11.30pm Midnight Mass; Homewood Road URC - 4pm crib service, 11.30pm Christmas Watchnight Service; Vineyard Church, Brick Knoll Park - 5pm and 7pm carols and candlelight; St Leonard’s Church, Sandridge - 3pm and 5pm crib service, 11.30pm First Communion of Christmas.

Christmas Day

St Saviour’s Church - 8am Low Mass, 9.30am Festal Eucharist; St Albans Cathedral - 8am Eucharist with Carols, 9.30am Parish Eucharist, 11.15am Matins for Christmas Da; 12.30pm Eucharist; St Albans Community Church at St Julian’s Church - 10am Communion service; SS Alban and Stephen - 9.30am Family Mass; St Mary’s Church - 10am Family Eucharist; Forest Town Church, The Venue - 10am Christmas Day service; Ashley Church - 10am short Christmas Day celebration; Hatfield Road Methodist Church - 11.15am all-age worship; Trinity URC - 10am Christmas Day worship; St Mark’s Colney Heath - 8.30am Holy Communion, 10.30am all-age service; Quakers St Albans - 10.30am usual meeting; All Saints’ Church Harpenden - 10.30am worship service with Holy Communion and carols; St Nicholas’ Church, Harpenden - 8am Holy Communion, 9.30am Holy Communion with carols, 11.30am morning praise with Holy Communion; St Mary’s Church, Kinsbourne Green - 9.30am Christmas family Holy Communion; St Peter’s Church St Albans - 8am Holy Communion, 9.30am all-age Communion, 11am sung Matins; Ridgeway Church, Sandringham School - 11am Christmas Day family service; All Saints Harpenden - 10.30am Christmas family worship including Holy Communion; Dagnall Street Baptist Church - 10.15am family service; St Mary’s Church Redbourn - 8am Holy Communion, 10am all-age Christmas service, 12 noon Holy Communion; St Leonard’s Flamstead - 8am Holy Communion, 10am family service; Marlborough Road Methodist Church - 10.30am Christmas Day all-age worship; St John’s Radlett - 10am family Communion; St Peter’s Gustard Wood - 11.15am Christmas celebration; St Helen’s Wheathampstead - 8am Holy Communion, 9.30am Christmas celebration with Communion, SS Alban and Stephen - 8am Holy Communion, 10am family Communion, 11.30am Christmas Day Mass; Christ Church Radlett - 8am Holy Communion, 10am Family Communion; St Luke’s Church St Albans - 10am Christmas Day all-age celebration with Communion; St Paul’s Church, Blandford Road - 8am Christmas Day Communion, 10.30am all-age Christmas Communion; Chiswell Green URC - 9.30am family service; The Salvation Army St Albans - 10.30am family service; Marshalswick Baptist Free Church - 10.15am Christmas Day family celebration; St Mary’s Childwick Green - 11.15am Communion and carols; St Michael’s Church St Albans - 9.30am Communion and carols; St Julian’s Church St Albans - 10am family Communion; St Stephen’s Church, Watling Street - 8am Holy Communion; Homewood Road URC - 10.30am family Christmas Day service.